Doctors remove denture stuck in the food pipe of 83-year-old man in Mumbai

Doctors at a Khar hospital removed a piece of denture that was stuck in the food pipe of an 83-year-

Navinchandra Shah, a retired businessman, had swallowed the four-inch-long denture during a visit to his dentist but did not realise it for over five days(Ht Photo)

Doctors at a Khar hospital removed a piece of denture that was stuck in the food pipe of an 83-year-old patient.

Navinchandra Shah, a retired businessman, had swallowed the four-inch-long denture during a visit to his dentist but did not realise it for over five days. He complained of trouble when he was eating and swallowing and a CT Scan revealed the object stuck in his food pipe.

Shah’s son, Chakor, said that his father had recovered from a stroke three years ago, leading to restricted movement on the left part of his body. “Both his dentist and he didn’t realise that the denture was missing. As he started experiencing extreme pain while eating and throwing up everything he ate, we rushed him to the hospital on September 30,” said Chakor.

Shah underwent all necessary tests to diagnose the nature of his ailment. However, it was the CT scan that revealed the denture with wires, stuck in his food pipe.

Dr Samir Bhargava, consultant ENT surgeon at Hinduja Healthcare Surgical, performed an emergency endoscopic surgery on October 4 to remove the denture, which would have proved fatal because of its metal ends, if left unattended. “It is important to note that the age of the patient was a critical factor. Operating on him was a risky business,” he said.

The doctor said that dentures with wires can be dangerous, especially for the elderly, because it can hurt the food pipe if swallowed and lead to life threatening complications. “Old people may forget about it and swallow it, inadvertently, which can lead to severe complications in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, early detection and an effective therapeutic management is important,” he said.